PlainGovJobs

Federal Employment in PENNSYLVANIA

Federal workforce data for PENNSYLVANIA. This state accounts for 3.2% of the total federal civilian workforce. Source: OPM FedScope, March 2025.

What the Numbers Say About Federal Employment in PENNSYLVANIA

PENNSYLVANIA is home to 74,194 federal civilian employees, which is 3.2% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 recorded in OPM FedScope for March 2025. Versus the prior reporting period, the state's federal headcount moved down by -0.5%, reflecting the combined effect of new hires via USAJOBS, retirements, inter-state transfers, and attrition across the 38 federal agencies currently operating on state soil.

Pay in PENNSYLVANIA averages $101,309 across all federal grades and occupations, placing the state 7.8% below the national federal civilian average of $109,869. The gap reflects locality-pay tables, the mix of headquarters versus field-office roles, and the occupational profile of agencies that concentrate here. Average length of service is 11.9 years — a signal of workforce stability and the degree to which federal careers anchor local economies.

The largest federal employer in PENNSYLVANIA is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 19,215 employees at an average salary of $104,987. The highest-paying agency in the state is SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION at $224,827 average salary. For job seekers browsing USAJOBS postings filtered to PENNSYLVANIA, these agency-level concentrations matter because they determine which career ladders, locality-pay tables, and mission areas dominate local federal employment. All figures come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, updated quarterly.

Federal Employees

74,194

-0.5% from prior period

Average Salary

$101,309

+2.6%

Avg Length of Service

11.9 yrs

Agencies Present

38

Salary Context

How federal pay in PENNSYLVANIA compares to the national average of $109,869

State Average

$101,309

National Average

$109,869

vs. National Avg

-7.8%

Federal Agencies in PENNSYLVANIA

38 federal agencies operate in PENNSYLVANIA. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest with 19,215 employees.

# Agency Employees Avg Salary
1 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 19,215 $104,987
2 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 8,236 $104,435
3 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 8,020 $109,210
4 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 7,552 $87,428
5 DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 7,319 $79,331
6 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 4,562 $100,241
7 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 3,954 $96,487
8 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 3,654 $88,127
9 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1,498 $91,582
10 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 1,315 $128,292
11 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 970 $92,929
12 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 910 $137,992
13 OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 812 $82,529
14 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 800 $116,986
15 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 796 $112,737
16 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 755 $129,132
17 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 733 $88,878
18 GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 654 $129,314
19 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 498 $143,149
20 DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPM 254 $134,896
21 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 179 $145,304
22 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 158 $224,827
23 SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 124 $99,927
24 FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION 102 $152,158
25 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 100 $101,054
26 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 94 $138,506
27 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION 88 $112,305
28 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 55 $152,465
29 NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION 52 $120,939
30 NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD 51 $139,259
31 NAT ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION 31 $97,918
32 FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM 30 $182,067
33 RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 24 $103,687
34 CORP FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE 19 $101,293
35 PEACE CORPS 16 $125,592
36 U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEV 15 $133,114
37 FED MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE 12 $151,616
38 MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD 11 $160,187

Related Federal Data

Explore salary, cost-of-living, and workforce data from other federal sources

WageDex — Salary Data

BLS occupation salary data for 831 occupations across all US metros. Compare federal vs. private sector pay in PENNSYLVANIA.

PlainWorker — Worker Protections

OSHA inspection data and workplace safety records. See enforcement activity in PENNSYLVANIA.

PlainPension — Pension Data

Federal and private pension plan data. Explore retirement benefits for government employees.

PlainCost — Cost of Living

BEA Regional Price Parities for 387 metros. See how far your federal salary goes in PENNSYLVANIA.

Similar States by Federal Employment

States with a similar federal workforce size to PENNSYLVANIA

NEW YORK

71,437 employees $108,166 avg

WASHINGTON

64,218 employees $105,919 avg

OHIO

60,425 employees $108,213 avg

GEORGIA

90,219 employees $100,945 avg

NORTH CAROLINA

57,025 employees $100,537 avg

ILLINOIS

53,474 employees $109,781 avg

Federal Employment Guides

Learn more about working for the federal government

How to Get a Government Job

Step-by-step guide to finding and applying for federal positions.

GS Pay Scale Explained

Understanding the General Schedule pay system and locality adjustments.

Highest-Paying Federal Jobs

Top federal occupations and agencies ranked by average salary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many federal employees work in PENNSYLVANIA? ▾
PENNSYLVANIA has 74,194 federal civilian employees as of March 2025. This represents 3.2% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472.
What is the average federal salary in PENNSYLVANIA? ▾
The average federal salary in PENNSYLVANIA is $101,309 per year, which is 7.8% below the national federal average of $109,869.
Which federal agency has the most employees in PENNSYLVANIA? ▾
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS is the largest federal employer in PENNSYLVANIA with 19,215 employees and an average salary of $104,987.
What is the highest-paying federal agency in PENNSYLVANIA? ▾
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION has the highest average salary among federal agencies in PENNSYLVANIA at $224,827 per year.
How many federal agencies operate in PENNSYLVANIA? ▾
38 federal agencies have employees in PENNSYLVANIA. The largest is DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS with 19,215 employees.
How does federal employment in PENNSYLVANIA compare to other states? ▾
PENNSYLVANIA ranks among the top states for federal employment, with 3.2% of the total federal civilian workforce. The average length of service is 11.9 years.

Data Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) FedScope Employment Cubes, March 2025. Federal civilian non-seasonal full-time and part-time employees. Data does not include military personnel, postal workers, or intelligence agency staff. Last updated: 2026-03-10.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGovJobs Editorial